Rev. Sheila Watson

Posts Tagged ‘Spiritual’

We Are All One

“We are one, after all, you and I; together we suffer, together exist and forever will recreate each other.” — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, early 20th century French philosopher.

Mitakuye Oyasin (All Are Related) is a phrase from the Lakota language. It reflects the world view of interconnectedness held by the Lakota people of North America.

A Course in Miracles teaches us that we are all reflections of the Divine Oneness, or God. We have only been imagining we are separate from God. Once we forgive others we will know that we are really One with each other and with God.

In the 21st century we are often reminded that “we are all one”. The idea occurs in New Age thought and in Eastern mysticism. Remember that like anything else, it is only someone’s opinion. It is, in fact, a controversial belief.

It is all very well to believe we are all One. This would be easy if we were morally pure. There would be no actions to excuse or forgive. It is a lovely theory, but try telling it to a grieving mother whose child has been murdered by a savage excuse for a human being. Try telling it to someone who has lost a loved one to a drunk driver. I must say in my work as a medium, I often deal with the suffering, bereaved families of those who perish by senseless and horrible deeds. I would certainly not remind them of thoughts that we are all One. It would be disrespectful or even cruel. Are we all One?

Many of us were raised to believe there is only one God, and we humans are separate from Him and from each other. This belief in one God (Monotheism) encompasses several religions. Since in this belief not everyone is part of God, It includes the idea of Dualism, which means opposing forces of Good and Evil. People who commit evil acts are doomed to eternal punishment, unless redeemed by a Savior. People who are good or redeemed go to Heaven and union with God. How do these ideas reconcile with the concept of Oneness? It is not an easy stretch of the mind.

Not everyone agrees with Dualism. The Seventh Principle of the religion of Spiritualism is “eternal progress open to every soul”. This means no matter how depraved a soul, the option to change still exists. They will understand better on the other side. They may apologize through a medium. This gives no excuse, but may bring some healing to the victims. Some people believe they will be reincarnated many times to evolve.

It is still not easy to forgive. In my opinion, victims are not required to forgive. At some point in time we may find it more beneficial to our own soul to let go of the past. Then the other party no longer has any hold over us. You can begin to see how we may grow back together over eternity. It will be safe then.

As time is an illusion, perhaps we are all One now. It just does not feel like it yet.

Disclaimer: Although many clients find spiritual readings very helpful in many ways, they are a supplement, not a substitute for professional services from competent practitioners in the fields of medicine, law, psychiatry and accounting. Seek professional advice when necessary.

© Copyright Sheila J Watson 2015-2016 All Rights Reserved

 

Stilling the Mind

We have talked about the benefits of meditation for stilling the mind. You may have already established your meditative practice. If not, or if you would like to expand your knowledge, a good starting point is Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki/Meditation . You can use this as a springboard to other material. A good source for daily quotes for meditation is Daily Om: http://www.dailyom.com . There is an overabundance of material online, in libraries, and in bookstores. The only additional requirement is a desire to grow. We will look at meditation again another day.

The human mind is capable of constant chatter, also known as “monkey brain”. We can quell some of this activity with the mental discipline and new insights of meditation. However, daily life on this planet can be full of emotional pain and multiple frustrations. These emotions need a safe release at an appropriate time so they don’t surface when you need your mind clear. How can we let go of them without being unduly vulnerable or hurting others?  Here is one suggestion.

About ten years ago I discovered the wonderful work of Julia Cameron, the author of The Artists Way A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, and numerous other books. She sees art as a spiritual transaction, and artists as sensitive, special souls. Let’s remember that artistic gifting originates in the right side of the brain, the same side as intuitive gifts and meditative insights. Why should it be a surprise that Julia’s techniques for artists also work for spiritual seekers?

One of Julia’s pivotal tools in releasing artists’ creative blocks is the Morning Pages. The Morning Pages are three pages of longhand writing, strictly from stream-of-consciousness: “Oh gawsh another morning, there is nothing to say, I had no time to do laundry, I’m sick and tired of being so busy, I hate my job, blah, blah, blah.” You get the idea.

Initially you may find yourself writing mundane thoughts interspersed with anger. Yet occasionally flashes of pain from the past will spring to your mind spontaneously. For example, “My eighth grade teacher said I was a terrible writer. I am still angry! I just remembered!” Each time a spontaneous thought comes forward you will be healed just a bit. Your mind will be a little clearer, a little less full of pain and dross.  Eventually you will find stillness of mind, “the peace that passes all understanding”. There is no greater gift.

 

Disclaimer: Although many clients find spiritual readings very helpful in many ways, they are a supplement, not a substitute for professional services from competent practitioners in the fields of medicine, law, psychiatry and accounting. Seek professional advice when necessary.

© Copyright Sheila J Watson 2015-2016 All Rights Reserved